Facciata
by sitarra
Summary: ‘She was an engaged woman but he wanted her. He wanted to break down her façade.’ MSR, AU. Finished
1. Chapter 1

Title: Facciata

Author: sitarra

Email: all okay

Classification: S, A, R

Keywords: MSR, AU, S/o kind of

Rating: PG-13

Spoilers: all things

Summary: 'She was an engaged woman but he wanted her. He wanted to break down her façade.'

Disclaimer: I don't own the X-Files, the X-Files characters, or the song used at the beginning of every chapter. But I really wish I did.

A/N: I've discovered I have a weakness for AU stories. I just had to give it another shot and this time I didn't get bored with it. The exerts of the song used throughout the story at the beginning of every chapter is Christina Aguilera's song 'Still Dirrty.' I knew it'd be perfect for what I wanted to show with this story. With the title meaning façade, that should give you a hint as to what the story's about and why I used the song.

Progress: Complete

Special thanks: much thanks to Daniel S. Bennett (he told me to put that) for putting up with my endless, undecided notions. And Kathie for helping me feel better about my story and writing. And Samantha for helping me in general and always keeping me laughing in German class.

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'_There's a woman inside of all of us_

_Who never quite seems to get enough_

_Tryin' to play by the rules is rough_

'_Cause sooner or later something's gonna erupt'_

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October 18, 1998

Dana Scully. Scully. She'd become quite attached to her name in her thirty-five years of life. She'd grown fond and proud of it. How dare Daniel suggest she take his name! After she'd made a name for herself in the business. She was finally of status, people knew her name, her work – there was no way she was changing her name.

She stopped her fuming long enough to switch back into work mode. So far, it had been an extremely slow day. She was left with almost nothing to do. The last of her week-long patients had been released earlier in the morning. She was beginning to wonder if one could literally die from boredom.

She was making her way past the ER doors when it happened. Paramedics burst through the doors, two gurneys moving just as fast.

"Dr. Scully, gunshot wounds. It's pretty bad," one of the EMTs said to her. She quickly sided up next to him.

"What happened to him?"

"FBI agent shot in the left shoulder. He's already lost consciousness on us once. Bullet's still lodged in there."

"What's his name?"

"Fox Mulder."

Dana saw the man's eyes flutter in response to his name. Were they green or brown? It didn't matter; she'd never seen such beautiful eyes.

She took a hold of his hand, mostly for medical reasons but something else pulled her to do it. He was pulling her in.

"Mr. Mulder, I need you to hang in there for me," she said to him slowly. "I'm Dr. Scully. I'm going to get that bullet out, but I need you to stay with me until we get there."

The haze lifted from his eyes, albeit momentarily Dana knew. His grip tightened on her hand, surprising her, to gain her attention. His lips moved to form words she had to strain to hear.

"You… beautiful," his voice rasped. The corners of his mouth turned up with a weak smile. Despite the urgency of the situation, Dana allowed a small smile to slip.

"Thank you, Mr. Mulder. Now, I want you to keep your eyes open and focused on me. I need to know that you're awake," she explained to him, her heart racing at the situation. Or maybe it was the man in front of her. "I want you to nod your head and promise me."

It looked as if it took some effort but he managed to nod, his eyes staying on hers.

"Promise… beautiful."

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She saw those gorgeous green eyes every time she closed her eyes. She couldn't stop thinking about him. Or what he had said. She knew there was the possibility that he was simply delirious at the time but there was something about the intensity of his eyes that told her he was still in his right mind.

She couldn't remember the last time the sincerity of a man's comment made her feel so good. She missed the way she used to feel so exhilarated, so loved. His hand was so warm when she held it earlier; of course he also had a fever developing at the same time but it was warm and comforting nonetheless. She never wanted to stop looking into his eyes either.

A sudden burst of laughter brought her back to the party at present. Her arm made its way back to Daniel's, remembering again that he liked her to keep up an appearance. Luckily the group around her didn't notice she was the only one not laughing.

She was tired of these formal events, tired of being put on display by Daniel. But she endured it. She knew how much it meant to him to be there on his arm. But after what seemed like the millionth party, her arm was getting pretty tired.

"Dana? Dana, what's wrong?"

She was brought back to the group by the second. She put on that familiar apologetic face she'd recently added to her list of masks and turned her face her fiancé.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"Is something wrong, Dana? You're so far away," Daniel noticed.

Dana smiled apologetically at him. "I'm sorry, I'm just not feeling like myself this evening. Would you mind terribly if I went home?"

"No, not at all. The evening's almost over anyway," he mused, glancing around him. "Why don't you go on home and relax and I'll call you later?"

Dana smiled gratefully. "That sounds good." She stood on her tip toes to kiss his cheek. "Thank you. I'll talk to you later."

Daniel smiled widely at her and watched her until she was out the door.

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'God, I hate that smell.'

That was Mulder's first thought as he woke up. He was aware of the dull pain coming from his shoulder but he paid no mind of it.

He opened his eyes slowly, darkness assaulting his eyes. He saw the full moon shining back at him through the window, a few stars even twinkling at him.

He couldn't hear much except the beep of his monitors and the clicks and thuds of footsteps walking past his door.

"Mr. Mulder, so good to see you're awake."

Or maybe to his door.

The happy nurse continued, "You've been out almost twelve hours. We expected you to be awake hours ago. Must have needed the sleep. How do you feel?"

His throat was rough but he managed. "Thirsty."

The nurse poured him a cup of water from his bedside and handed it to him. "Drink slowly," she reminded him. Reluctantly he complied.

The nurse still continued. "I'll be your nurse at night. My name's Anna. Whenever you need something, just push the call button over here on your right."

Handing his cup to Anna, he tested his ability to talk again. "Thank you… Anna," he managed, his words broken. "Doctor?"

"Dr. Scully will be by first thing in the morning. You're currently her only patient until Monday."

"Name?"

"I just told you--Dr. Scully."

Mulder shook his head. "First."

A knowing smile spread across Anna's face. "Her name is Dana. And she's thirty-five in case you're interested. You're not some kind of stalker, are you?"

Mulder chuckled and shook his head.

Anna pulled up a chair. "Good, then what else do you want to know?"

Anna loved Dana with all her heart, she was like a daughter to her, but she didn't think Daniel was the right man for her. He was too controlling, even if Dana couldn't see it. She'd been blinded by him in Anna's opinion.

No, Daniel wasn't the one for her but this man Mulder is, Anna knew. They'd be perfect together. And she was going to make them both see that.

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Dana could practically see his smile before she even entered the room the next morning.

"There's my beautiful doctor," Mulder said, delighted to finally see her again.

Dana did her best to hide her smile but she feared he could still tell it was there. "I'm glad to see you remember me, Mr. Mulder."

"I could never forget such a beautiful face."

Dana averted her gaze, this time not trying to hide her smile. "Mr. Mulder…"

"Just Mulder," he corrected. "I hate all that mister stuff and I hate my first name."

"Okay then. Mulder, just because nurses let you get away with that doesn't mean I will."

He hid a smile. "But you're still smiling, Dana, so I must be doing something right."

Dana chose to not answer, deciding instead to look at his chart. Or at least until she understood what he said.

"Wait, how do you know my name?"

"I guessed," he shrugged with on shoulder.

Realization dawned on her. "It was Anna, wasn't it? I swear, she's worse than my own mother."

"Relax; if anyone's to blame it's me. I asked, she told me. I'm curious, I can't help it."

"Speaking of being curious, is that what got you shot?" she asked an eyebrow quirking upwards.

He waved it off. "Nah, this was the result of a bust gone bad. I was in the suspect's line of view. I tried to jump out of the way but… here I am."

"Well, I have good news and bad news for you, Mulder. The good news is that we removed the bullet and your arm is going to be fine. You should heal completely in about two months."

"And the bad news?"

"The bad news is you're staying here until Tuesday. We have to make sure an infection doesn't set."

Mulder smiled, unknowingly making her weak in the knees. "Sounds like good news to me. I get to spend time with you."

"I have other patients, you know," she pointed out to him.

"Actually, unless a dire situation pops up, you have no other patients until Monday," he smiled. Dana's face fell.

"I'm going to have to talk to Anna about a few things," she muttered to herself.

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Later, Mulder turned off the TV when nothing caught his interest. He debated whether or not to push the call button again. The nurses were getting fed up with it bit it was worth their angry looks when he got to see Dana again.

"Ah, screw it. I don't care if they get mad at me," he said out loud to himself, pressing the call button firmly.

He only had to wait a moment and was delighted when he saw Dana instead of his daytime nurse.

"What is it now, Mulder?" she said in lieu of a greeting. "You know, the nurses are beginning to hate you."

He shrugged off that comment. "I just wanted to see you."

"Mulder, you saw me twenty minutes ago."

"So? Maybe I like talking to you and, of course, the beautiful face doesn't hurt," he spoke honestly.

"Mulder," she groaned. "You are so infuriating."

He smiled again. "But you still keep coming back."

She couldn't deny that. Impulsively she got the pad of paper she carried around with her and a pen from her pocket. She scribbled on it quickly before handing it to him.

"Top number's my pager, bottom number's my cell phone," she explained. "If you're going to bother the nurses to get to me, let's just eliminate a step."

She almost lost her breath as his handsome smile covered to his face.

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Mulder was about ready to close his eyes and forget about the world for the night when he heard it. He often heard the nurses gossiping outside his door and he normally paid no mind to it.

But when he heard his beautiful doctor's name, he perked up in bed.

"… I've never seen her so happy. She might as well be walking on air," nurse number one said. The second voice he recognized as Anna.

"I'll tell you on thing, he's a lot better for her than Dr. Waterston is. For one thing, he's simply charming."

"That he is," nurse one agreed. Their voices moved further away from his door and he silently cursed that he could hear no more. But what he heard next made his blood turn cold.

"Oh, Anna, have you seen Dana? I need to know if she's set a date for the wedding yet?" a prominent male voice spoke. Mulder's jaw tensed just listening to him. But at the same time his heart was shattering into a million pieces.

"I haven't seen her in a few hours, Dr. Waterston. Sorry." Was it him or did Mulder detect a hint of sarcasm in Anna's voice.

He could hear footsteps departing as well as a pair getting closer.

"Is it true, Anna?" he spoke as soon as she entered. Even in the dark, he could see the sadness in her eyes.

"I'm afraid so," she confirmed sadly. "He proposed about a week ago."

Mulder mutely nodded, his gaze going to the window on the opposite side of the room.

"But don't let that discourage you," she hastily added. "She needs someone to make her see the light. She's become a different person ever since she met him. There are days when I honestly don't recognize her emotionally. You're the type of man she needs."

Mulder slowly met Anna's green eyes. "Is she unhappy?"

"Doesn't look so happy to me. I've seen her smile more in the last two days than I have in the last years."

A determined look grew in his eyes. He liked his odds.

"I guess I'll have to do something about it then."

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Continued in next chapter………


	2. Chapter 2

All notes disclosed in chapter one. Also, the date in chapter one is wrong. It should be October 16, 1999

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'_They say I'm not the girl they used to know_

'_Cause I don't always wear revealing clothes_

_But don't be fooled a moment, I can't hold_

_I'm lettin' loose, 'cause then I'd probably choke'_

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October 18, 1999

Mulder feigned sleep the next morning when Dana came in. He'd been thinking about what he was going to say to her and he still had no clue. He couldn't just start it off 'So, you're engaged.' He needed something intelligent to say.

He heard the rustle of papers on his left, knowing she was checking his vitals. He felt her pull down his gown away from his shoulder so she could check his wound. Soft fingers pressed around the wound. He just couldn't resist.

"Good morning, Dr. Scully," he greeted in a low rumble.

Dana jumped back, a hand covering her heart. "Jesus, Mulder! I thought you were asleep."

He opened his eyes and lolled his head over to look at her. God. Even though he was semi-angry at her, she still took his breath away.

"Nope, I was just faking it in case you wanted to take advantage of me." His playful eyes turned apologetic when he saw her take in a few deep breaths. "I'm sorry."

She didn't say anything. She just moved back over to him once she was sure her heart rate was back to normal. Or as normal as it could get around him.

She pressed her fingers back to his shoulder. "Have any trouble with it last night? Any pain right now?"

"No and no. I think this is going to be my fastest recovery ever," he mused with a smile. "Must be my excellent doctor."

She still chose to keep quiet. He watched her face as she quietly worked. There was a story behind the face and he wanted to read every line of it.

Mulder pulled her left hand into his good one, his thumb brushing against her ring finger. He noticed how soft her skin was but he also noticed…

"Where's your ring?" he wondered. His eyes traveled up to hers and saw the lie forming there.

"What ring?"

"Your engagement ring from Dr. Waterston."

Her eyes broke away from his. The atmosphere grew somber. Her voice grew soft. "I know you didn't hear that from Anna."

He shook his head. "No, your fiancé stopped to ask where you were last night and he happened to be right outside my door. I'm a little heartbroken."

He tightened his grip on her hand when she tried to pull away. "Mulder, please," she begged, "I have to finish this and be on my way. I have another patient checking in soon."

"Just answer me one question and I'll let you go," he promised. At her nod, his grip lessened but he pulled her closer. "Are you happy?"

Her eyes fell downcast. He could see her putting up a defense shield. What happened to the lovely, smiling woman he'd been annoying yesterday?

"Yes," she whispered but he could tell she was lying.

He slowly nodded like he believed her but he still didn't release her hand. He didn't feel her pulling away either. Instead, he laced their fingers together, smiling inwardly at how perfect they fit.

"Okay, then answer me this one last thing."

"What?" She looked up at him.

"Go out with me sometime."

Dana blinked a few times before answering. Did he really say what I think he said?

"What did you say?"

"Go out with me sometime."

"But I'm engaged. You know I'm engaged. Shouldn't that stop you?" she babbled on.

But Mulder couldn't be swayed. "No, it just makes me want to try harder."

"Mulder…"

He squeezed her hand to stop her. "Just think about it. We still have another day together."

Surprisingly her face softened. Her fingers gently caressed his in the slightest way. Her heart was fluttering at the look in his eyes. She could feel her knees giving out.

She opened her mouth with the intent to lie to him but when she saw that lower lip jut out, she chickened out.

"You have my word that I'll think about it," she promised.

And damn it, by the time she was leaving for home that night, she was still thinking about it.

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November 2, 1999

"Dr. Scully, you have a visitor in your office," Kelly told her when she stopped to sign papers.

"Male or female?" She really hoped it wasn't Mr. Daniels again. That man really needed to learn to listen to instructions.

"Male, he's been there for a few minutes."

"Thank you, Kelly." She slipped the pen under the clip of the clipboard and started for her office. "Mrs. Greenlee is still asleep. Give her her medicine when she wakes up, please."

Dana didn't wait for a reply, just made her way to her office quickly. She hadn't seen Mulder for two weeks. She often found herself thinking of him late at night before she went to bed. She couldn't deny that he'd had an impact on her the four days he was in her care. But she also knew that since then, she'd thrown herself into her work. She was working as many shifts as she could. Daniel didn't like it but she needed to do it. She needed to prove to herself that she really did love Daniel and that she was happy with him.

She opened her office door with her head held high, feeling confident once more about her decision. She put on her work smile and stepped through.

"Hi, what can I do for you tod…" Her smile fell and her words failed her when the man in the chair turned around to face her.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite doctor. How are you today, Dana?"

She snapped her attention back to the man at the sound of her name.

"Mulder," she breathed.

"Dana," he mimicked.

"Wh… uh wha… what are you doing here?" she stuttered miserably, which only caused him to smile more.

"I came to see how you are. I wanted to surprise you. I also wanted to give my shoulder enough time to heal. Nice work, by the way."

"Uh, thank you. Why are you here?" She hadn't noticed but she'd backed up as far away from him as she could, which incidentally put her right up against the closed door. He chuckled at the sight.

"You never gave me an answer about going out with me so I figured I'd come back and ask you again with an offer you couldn't refuse," he revealed. He moved toward but he saw her tense up, causing his heart to restrict.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Dana. Besides being a guy out to get your heart, I'm also a guy that I hope you consider a friend."

She loosened up a little at that. "I know that and I do. It's just… just…"

He stepped up to her, his hands finding their way to her arms. He was glad he didn't feel her tense up. "Can I ask you a question? A different question?"

She nodded her assent. "Don't you feel it?" he asked her. She stared at him wide-eyed before she understood what he meant.

"I won't deny that I have feelings for you or that I'm attracted to you," she started.

"But?" he filled, knowing what was coming.

"But I just need some time, I need to think about some things," she unknowingly apologized. "Can we settle on just being friends for now?"

Mulder smiled and slid his hand down to clutch hers. "I think we can do that… if you go out with me."

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The next day

I can't believe I am doing this. Why am I doing this? It's insane. I'm engaged, for crying out loud! This is ridiculous!

A million reason whys she shouldn't meet Mulder ran through Dana's mind as she walked through the park.

I hope I'm wearing the right thing. I hope my hair's okay. It wouldn't cooperate earlier. Oh, my God, there he is. Am I doing the right thing? God, he looks good. I never noticed how handsome he is. Okay, so I did but still—in the sunlight it's magnified. Okay, here I go. Deep breath

Mulder stood from his place on the ground when he saw her.

She looks even better than I imagined. Wow, she's beautiful. What is with me? I can't believe this is happening to me. I used to have a wider vocabulary.

"Hey," he greeted her. "I was beginning to think you stood me up."

"Sorry, I got held up."

He held out a white rose to her. "That's okay. I would wait forever."

Her eyes met his and she saw the sincerity behind them. For once, she wasn't scared. Like in a daze, she accepted the rose and inhaled the sweet scent.

"Thank you, it's beautiful."

"I thought you'd like it. I never knew there were so many colors of roses. Never thought I'd get out of there alive," he joked.

Then the sweetest sound came to his ears. She was laughing. I made her do that

'Yes, there are quite a few selections, I'm afraid." She knew they were getting over the awkward phase of the date and she was grateful. She didn't want to put on her mask today.

"Can I make one request before we officially start?"

"Sure."

"I don't want to be with Dr. Scully today; I'd like to meet Dana."

She froze for a moment. How did he know? "Not a problem."

They soon found themselves sitting on a blanket he had spread out under the shade of a tree, eating a dinner that passed her standards. He didn't know what types of food she liked but on a streak of luck, he had picked right.

"Tell me what you used to be like," he asked of her, forgetting his dinner in lieu of watching her.

She swallowed a bite of her sandwich before answering. "A little shy, mostly not. Being a Navy Brat'll do that to you. Everything changed when I started med school."

"You still have that woman inside of you?"

Dana nodded shyly. "I think I can find her… if you'll help me."

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Continued in next chapter…….


	3. Chapter 3

All notes disclosed in chapter one. Here's where it gets educational but I swear it serves a purpose.

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_There's some women out there who talk and stare_

_Who never seem to let down their hair_

_Like to pass judgment but they're just scared_

_And don't know what they're missing, so they better beware_

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The pair watched the sun go down two hours later, relaxing back on the large blanket.

"Did you know that due to tidal acceleration, the orbit of the moon around the earth is unstable, and becomes approximately three point eight centimeters more distant each year?" Mulder recited, rolling his head to look at her. She shook her head, looking over at him.

"They even estimate that in 600 million years, the distance from the earth to the moon will have increased by 14,593.5 miles, making it so that the moon will no longer be able to cover the sun's disk."

"Fascinating. Educate me some more."

Mulder smiled widely at her before turning his attention back to the sky.

"They also predict that the sun will increase in size over this time scale. That makes it even more unlikely that the moon will be able to cause a total eclipse, which would make the last total solar eclipse on earth in slightly less than 600 million years.

"The earliest recorded solar eclipse was on the fifteenth of June in 763 BC. They found it recorded in Assyrian text. Herodotus wrote that Thales of Miletus predicted an eclipse which occurred during a war between the Medians and the Lydian's. Soldiers on both sides put down their weapons and declared peace as a result of the eclipse. Exactly which eclipse was involved has remained uncertain, although the issue has been studied by hundreds of ancient and modern authorities. One likely candidate took place on May 28, 585 BC, near the Halys River in the middle of modern Turkey."

"Wow, I definitely did not know that." Dana rolled onto her side. Her eyes gazed over him, all of him. It was amazing. The more time she spent with him, the more she was afraid she was falling for him. "What else do you know?"

"A lot about a lot," he said cryptically. "Why? You gonna let me teach you?"

She smiled barely. "Yes because it's nice to not have to think for a few hours. And… you have a really nice voice. It's easy to listen to, kind of therapeutic," she admitted quietly. His head lolled to the side again but he didn't say anything. He didn't have to. His expression spoke for him.

"Um, let's see. We talked about the moon so… do you know that every major religion has a god or goddess for everything?"

"Now that I did know."

"Let's start with the oldest religion, Hinduism," Mulder began, switching his voice to story teller mode. "Indra is the god of weather and war. All his titles refer to strength and might. His weapon is the thunderbolt, sort of like Zeus. He rides a four-tusked, albino elephant called Airavana.

"Indra had an affair with Ahalya, the wife of Gautama Maharishi. He was punished by Gautama with a curse that one thousand female organs would cover his body in a grotesque and vulgar display, and that his reign as king of the gods would meet with disaster and catastrophe. Gautama later commuted the curse, upon the pleading of Brahma, to one thousand eyes instead of female organs."

"Eww, thank God for that. It's just like a guy to do that," Dana interrupted. "Disgusting."

"Anyway," Mulder continued loudly. "Due to this sin, Indra's throne remains insecure forever. He's repeatedly humiliated by demonic kings like Ravana of Lanka, whose son bound Indra in serpent nooses and dragged him across Lanka in a humiliating display. Ravana released Indra when Brahma convinced him to do so, but as the defeated, Indra had to pay tribute and accept Ravana's supremacy. Indra realized the consequences of his sin and was later avenged by Rama, who slew Ravana to deliver the three worlds from evil."

"What happened to Indra after that?"

"He became known as the thousand-eyed god. Sounds pretty cool, doesn't it?' Mulder wagged his eyebrows at her. She, in turn, rolled her eyes at him.

"Tell me another one."

"Surya is the chief solar deity, with hair and arms of gold. He drives Agni, the fire god, his chariot across the sky in his horse drawn chariot driven by Aruna, who brought the dawn. Aruna's image is always depicted without legs sitting on the chariot. The chariot is driven by seven horses to represent the seven chakras.

"And then there's Varuna. He keeps the cosmics in order, another solar deity. He later became the god of oceans and rivers and the keeper of the souls of the drowned. Because of that, he's a god of the dead and can grant immortality. Also, he's one of the Guardians of the directions, representing the west."

"Maybe I should pray to him as well," Dana said softly.

"Why's that?"

"I love the water, grew up around it. It makes me feel peaceful."

Mulder fell silent at that, admiring the look on her face. She looked so… well, peaceful. Her eyes had fallen shut not long ago. She'd moved closer as well. Her hand was lying close to his arm, so close she could touch.

"Keep telling me these stories."

Her voice had adopted a sleepy tone he found quite sexy. It was a mixture of a low tone and a raspy sound.

"You're not falling asleep on me, are you?" he teased, rolling over to mirror her position.

Dana scoffed. "First of all, I'm not on you. I'm next to you. Second, I'm wide awake. Keep talking."

"Yes, master," he joked, mimicking Jeannie. A smile crept onto her face but she made no comment.

"Let's go to Egypt now," he resumed. "I'll make it short since you're falling asleep on me. Hathor, the goddess of the sky, the moon, love, marriage, and childbirth. Then there's Khepri, god of the rising sun but when the sun sets, he takes on the form of Atum. He's another solar deity."

Dana settled further into the blanket. "What is it with you and the sun? Or the cosmics I should say."

"It fascinates me. Why? Don't you like it?"

"No, I do. I've just always been one for the night. The moon is a beautiful thing."

"Yes, it is." But he wasn't talking about the moon or sun anymore.

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Continued in next chapter……

Most information in this chapter can be found at but some information came from the book 'Gods, Goddess's, and Monsters.'


	4. Chapter 4

All notes disclosed in chapter one. A/N: I apologize for the delay. I've been so busy with classes and being sick. I'll make it up with a really long story that I'll start posting as soon as I'm done with this one.

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'_If I want to wear lingerie outside of my clothes_

_If I want to be erotic in my own videos_

_If I want to be provocative, well that ain't a sin_

_Maybe you're not comfortable in your own skin'_

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November 13, 1999

"My, my Dr. Scully," said Mulder's voice from behind her. "You are looking very beautiful this evening."

Dana didn't bother to turn around. She just continued to sip at her water.

"Then again, you look beautiful all the time," he murmured in her ear. A shiver involuntarily went through her body.

Remembering herself, she said, "I can still leave, Mulder. Remember, you invited me."

"I know and I sincerely hope you stay. My evening would be lost without you," he told her honestly. He moved the small distance to his chair, his eyes never leaving her. "Great dress by the way."

Dana blushed and looked down at the table. "Well, you said dress formal and everything else I have formal is at the cleaners." That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

"Well, I'm glad you saved this dress for me then." Dana gave him what he's affectionately dubbed 'the eye' before deciding to let the dress matter go. She took his silence as the intuitive to start the evening.

"What did you want, Mulder?" she asked bluntly.

He didn't miss a beat. "To spend more time with the most beautiful doctor in the world. And, remember. I'm still trying to win you over."

"Do you always try to be this charming?"

"Oh, I don't try. I am."

Dana pursed her lips, pretending to take offense but he knew she was trying not to smile.

"You know I'm right. I can see it in your eyes."

"Yeah? Well, what else can you see?"

Mulder looked clearly in her eyes and she stared straight back.

"You're willing to give me a chance. But you're a very stubborn person. That's okay; I am too. You have some things you don't want to share though. You keep things hidden," he summed up.

She shielded her eyes, her guard coming up. Mulder saw it. His hand immediately reached out for hers, his fingers tangling with hers.

"It's okay though. I'm really good at getting people to open up to me," he assured quickly to restore the good vibe they had going.

She smiled and looked up at him. "How are you so different from every other man I know?"

He opened his mouth to reply but quickly shut it. He was amazed at how quickly he'd been taken under her spell. And doubly amazed to see how quickly she could become a completely different person. She was undoubtedly different from any other woman he'd ever met but she was also a woman holding back.

"I don't know," he finally said. "But I'm hoping you'll keep me around so you can figure out I'm like no one else."

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Dinner went by smoothly. They kept up the conversation, never faltering once. He found out quickly it was near impossible to take his eyes off of her. He found himself glancing down to her ring finger on more than one occasion, noting the lack of her ring. Maybe she just forgot to put it on.

"When are you going to finish telling me your stories, Mulder?" Dana reminded him, sipping at her wine.

"Ah, yes, the stories," he spoke dramatically, winning a smile from her. "How 'bout I put a different spin on it this week?"

"Be my guest. Educate me, Mulder."

He seemed to think about what he wanted to say first, but she knew he already had something clearly in mind. He opened his mouth to start… but what came instead, she wasn't expecting.

"You're not gonna fall asleep on me again, are you?"

"I told you I was sorry about that," she reminded him, wondering how long she'd have to apologize for it.

Mulder smiled. "It's okay. It's comforting to know that you felt secure enough to sleep next to me."

Dana turned sheepish, her eyes falling down to the table. "Yeah, well… you gonna tell me another story or what?"

"They're not stories," he corrected.

"Are you gonna tell me one or not?" she huffed, becoming impatient.

He smiled slyly. "You like to toy around with me, don't you?"

"Mulder!"

"Why don't we walk and talk instead?"

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"… no, I know Helios. Tell me about somebody else."

"Okay, let's go back to Hinduism. I have some really good stories from there."

"But we were already there."

"We're going back.

Dana smiled. As much as she hated being told what to do or controlled, she loved the way he took control. They were walking along the river walk arm in arm. It was still amazing her how normal it felt when she slipped her arm through his on a whim. Their steps were slow, deliberate, evenly matched and in time with each other. She was glad there was a nice breeze. It was keeping the blush she felt threatening away.

"I think I'll begin with the river goddess, Sarasvati. She is also the goddess of speech and learning."

"Oh, well I can definitely learn to like her," she interrupted.

"She's the wife of Brahma, who I'll get to later. Her beauty is so great, Brahma grew five faces so that he could see her from every direction."

Dana turned her head to look at him, loving the smile she saw. "I think I can see where today's stories are going," she mused out loud to him.

His eyes twinkled with delight. "Moving on… Shiva is a god. Don't get him confused with others. He's part of the Trinity of Hinduism, Brahma is the creator, Vishnu is the protector, and Shiva is the destroyer. But… there's an exception," his voice spoke dramatically. "See, along with being the god of sexual power and the god of destruction- he's also the creator of the universe."

Her brow knitted. "But I thought you said Brahma is the creator."

"That's the exception. Shiva destructs to recreate. What he does is dance the world to destruction just so he can create it again."

"Well, that's kind of… stupid."

"Stupid? That's the best word you can come up with? You're a doctor."

She bumped him with her hip. "Shut up, I couldn't think of anything."

"Apparently. I thought doctors were supposed to have really good educations," he teased. She gave him a mean look but it didn't look so mean to him.

"Just continue."

His voice lowered to a soft tone. "Lakshmi is the goddess of good fortune and beauty, light, and wisdom. She and her husband Vishnu are the eternal couple. They follow each other through incarnation after incarnation.

"And the last one is Brahma. He is the creator and the created; invented the universe. He sprang from Purusha's mouth: his head became the sky, his eye became the sun, his navel the atmosphere, and his feet the earth. Brahma, as Prajapati, desired his daughter. She changed into a deer to escape him, so he changed into a stag. The pursuit continued, creating all the world's animals."

Dana was silent for some time after that. She'd caught what he was telling her. She couldn't explain the overwhelming emotions that came over her when she was around him or every time he looked at her, why her heart sped up. She couldn't explain how a persona she'd kept hidden for so long reappeared at the mere sound of him saying her name. She couldn't explain why she felt so comfortable around him when she knew nothing about him. But she could explain why she loved to be around him and hear him talk.

He brought out the better woman in her.

"Is that your way of telling me you won't give up until I say yes?" she finally spoke, stopping to look at him.

His answer was immediate. "Yes. That' doesn't bother you, does it?"

He took her scrutiny. Her eyes swept over him briefly before meeting his eyes again.

He, too, noticed the differences of her. One minute she was Dr. Don't-Mess-With-Me-Scully, and the next minute she was Dana-I'm-Still-Holding-Something-Back-Scully. He was in love with both of them but he wanted to meet the real Dana-This-Is-Me-Scully.

"Well?" he said, reminding her of the question when she didn't answer.

Her lips pursed. Her arm made its way back to him. "Walk me home, Mulder."

"I'm winning you over, aren't I?" Silence. "I'll take that as a yes."

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Continued in next chapter…….


	5. Chapter 5

All disclaimers are in part one.

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'_Why is a woman's sexuality_

_Always under so much scrutiny?_

_Why can't she do exactly as she please_

_Without being called a million things?'_

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December 30, 1999

"Please, it's just one night."

"I know and I told you… How'd you get this number? I'm not listed."

"You gave me your cell number and I have friends that got me your home number."

"Mulder! That's a complete invasion of privacy!"

"But you haven't hung up yet so it can't be that much of an invasion."

"Mulder…"

"You still haven't answered my question."

"Yes, I have but the word 'no' is obviously not in your vocabulary."

"It is, just not in the context you're using. Come one, give me a shot. You don't work tomorrow and your fiancé is out of town, which I find odd by the way."

"I knew I shouldn't have told you."

"You're breaking down, I can feel it. Please go with me. I'll make it worth your while."

Dana was silent on the other end of the phone. He was right, she was breaking down. She sighed heavily.

"What time?"

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Mulder made sure he was seated intimately close to Dana when they sat down for a late dinner. The atmosphere of the restaurant he'd chosen was cozy. The room was dimly lit for a romantic evening. A pianist was playing across the room. It was perfect for what he had in mind.

"Tonight, I'd like to talk about us," he announced to her. Her startled expression was worth all the money in the world. He specified. "I want to know everything about you. It's been months and we haven't said anything about ourselves."

"Maybe that's for a reason," she pointed out.

"Yeah, you continue to pull away and hold back while I continue to pursue because I hate giving up," he summed up for her.

"My middle name is Katherine," she started, falling for his trick. "I was born in San Diego in 1964. I have three siblings-two brothers and one sister. My father's in the Navy so I spent much of my life moving around."

"Did that get old after a while? Moving all the time?" he wondered.

"In my teenage years it did. You make friends and then you have to leave again. I was always the new kid in school and I hated it. We were finally stable when I was 16, here in D.C."

"Did your mother work or was she a stay at home mom?"

"Stay at home. With four kids and my father gone so often she couldn't work."

"Wow, what else should I know about you?" he wondered, his curious nature ever present.

She had to stop and think for a moment. "Well, winter is my favorite season, but I hate the cold. I love Christmas. I love the color blue and I hate the color pink. I've never been married, never owned a pet, and I'm Catholic. How's that?"

He looked at her confident expression. It was close to what he wanted but he still wanted to know more.

"What's your favorite book?" She opened her mouth to respond but he cut her off. "Your real favorite book?"

Caught, she looked down. "Breakfast at Tiffany's," she muttered.

"What're your sibling's names?"

"Bill, Melissa, and Charlie. My parents are William and Margaret."

"If you weren't a doctor, what would be doing?"

"I'd be a forensic pathologist."

"Impressive. Which side of the bed do you prefer?"

She blinked. "Why do you need to know that?" she demanded to know.

"Because I'm curious," he said as if obvious.

Hesitantly, she answered, "the right side."

"How ironic. I prefer the left side," he smiled.

"Please move to the next question," she pleaded.

He had to think about his next revealing question. He wanted to know something about her no one else knew.

"What would you name you first child?"

Her breath caught in her throat. "I … I don't know."

"Yes, you do. You just don't want to tell me."

Her eyes met his. Damn him and his gorgeous eyes. She took a few deep breaths before replying.

"Angela or Cassandra for a girl and William for a boy. I've always liked those names," she admitted in a faint voice he had to strain to hear.

Mulder smiled and scooted closer. "Must be fate," he told her. "My middle name is William."

"I know; I've seen your medical chart," she reminded him. She recovered quickly from her falter earlier. "But enough about me. Tell me about you."

He leaned back in his chair, a smile on his face. "You're sneaky. I was hoping I would get a few more questions out of you."

"No, before I tell you anything else about me you have to tell me about you," she promised.

"Okay, fair deal. You already know my middle name and when I was born so… I spent my childhood days living on Martha's Vineyard with my mother, Teena, my father, William, and my sister, Sam. My father worked for the State Department and my mom didn't work at all. I hated living on the Vineyard for the most part; too prim and proper. The only good thing about it was the summers and spending time with Sam. We'd play baseball all day. It was the best.

"Now, working with the FBI, I have a tendency to be injured. I also like winter, I love watching Christmas movies. I also love grade B sci-fi movies. I'm red/green color blind but it doesn't affect my job. I went to Oxford. Yes, the one in England. My love life is completely shot and I gave up on it years ago. But now I've found a reason to try again."

Dana sat there awe struck.

"And I also hate the color pink," he added just for the fun of it. She still sat speechless.

"And, I wouldn't say that I have no religion but I'm agnostic. I hope that's not a problem for you."

She shook her head. "No," her voice cracked. She cleared her throat, "no, that's not a problem. But if you ever meet my mom, I wouldn't exactly lead with that."

"Religious?"

"Extremely. She's not as bad as she used to be though."

"Her kids are grown up and she realizes everything's not like it used to be?" he guessed, motioning for the waiter to pay the check.

"Exactly. I think she first realized that when she walked in on my sister and her boyfriend having sex," she remembered.

Mulder managed to stop the laugh he felt bubbling up. "How embarrassing… for your mother."

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Mulder knew he was the happiest man alive. The luckiest man as well. Dana Scully was walking hand in hand with him, the real Dana Scully. He knew it was real her by the way she laughed. He didn't know how he knew but he knew. She was actually laughing.

"Hey, you know what we didn't talk about?" he said suddenly. She looked at him expectantly. "Guilty pleasures. Everybody has one."

"You show me yours and I'll show you mine," she teased, smiling up at him.

He grinned sheepishly at her. There was some information he was willing to share and some he wasn't.

"Baseball … and some other things but I don't want your opinion of me to change."

"Is it illegal?"

"No, it's perfectly legal," he assured. He squeezed her hand. "What's yours?"

There was no hesitation from her. She felt safe with him. She knew she was safe with him. "Chocolate and bubble baths. Really long bubble baths with candles for my lighting."

He groaned. "Thank you so much for that lovely image. You realize I won't be able to stop thinking about it now, don't you?"

She smiled deviously. "Why do you think I told you?" she said, her voice sounding like sweet music to his ears.

"You do like to toy with men. I knew it!" he exclaimed playfully. "Luckily for you, I don't mind when a beautiful woman likes to mess with my mind."

She bumped into on purpose, trying to get the stupid, yet sexy, grin off his face. They stopped their walk at the bridge of the river walk. She recognized it as the spot they stopped at often after they had dinner or lunch together, even in almost complete darkness she could tell. Lights were at various places up and down the walk but they'd found a spot no one ever ventured into; lights were nowhere to be found in that vicinity.

She placed her hands on the rail, looking out over the dark night sky. She smiled when she saw the stars twinkling back at her. Mulder sided up next to her, his warmth radiating to her through four layers of clothing. She could feel his eyes on her and she didn't mind one bit. She felt like a new woman every time she was with him. He made her feel good about herself, good about being a woman.

Daniel didn't make her feel like that, not anymore. He did look at the beginning when he first started teaching her, when their relationship first started. Now… she felt nothing when he looked at her, when he touched or kissed her.

But Mulder… every time he touched her, she swore he could see her heart beating furiously through her blouse. Every time he looked at her, she knew a smile came to her face. She felt loved with him, she real with him. Daniel just made her feel like an object to look at but Mulder made her speak her mind. He encouraged her even. A few weeks ago, he swore he couldn't make decisions without her. She was no longer afraid of losing control or showing a certain weakness. Mulder helped her find it again.

"Did you know, in Greek mythology, the Sphinx guarded a path. And every time someone time someone wanted to cross that path, she would ask them a riddle. If they couldn't answer, she ate them. When she preyed on Oedipus, he provided the riddle's answer. The Sphinx was humiliated at her loss and jumped off a cliff," Mulder shared with her, his hand finding hers on the rail.

"What was the riddle?" she wondered, her fingers tangling with his.

"What animal goes on four feet in the morning, on two at noon, and on three in the evening?"

"Man," she answered confidently. "He crawls as a baby, walks as a man, and uses a cane in his old age."

Mulder looked chocked. "You cheated."

"No, I didn't. I've been doing my research," she revealed. She smiled up at him, "You've inspired me."

He opened his mouth to respond but a loud ringing stopped him. They both looked in the direction they had come from.

"Church bells," she explained. "It's midnight."

She was unprepared when his lips touched to hers but she quickly got the hang of it. His arms moved to wrap around her small waist, pulling her body up close to his. She was slower to react but her hands eventually made their way to his hair. Her lungs felt like they were on fire but she didn't care. She didn't want to stop kissing him.

"You know," Mulder gasped after he pulled away. "I never imagined seeing myself with someone like you. Now I can't imagine myself without you."

She caressed the back of his head, pressing her forehead to his. "But we're not together," she smiled sadly.

"We should be," he insisted. She had nothing to say to that. She knew he was right and she didn't know why they weren't together.

"I haven't seen you wear your engagement ring once in all the time I've known you," he pointed out, taking a hold of her hand. "Why is that?"

"It gets in the way during surgery," she lied. He accepted that answer, not wanting to ruin a beautiful moment. He risked it and kissed her again. He wasn't sure if she was really into it or if he pushed her into it the first time but not he knew. She was definitely putting forth effort.

He didn't like that, technically, she was someone else's woman but he knew he could change her mind. He had to.

He was in love with her.

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Continued in next chapter……


	6. Chapter 6

All disclaimers are in part one.

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'_Cause I still got the nasty in me_

_Still got that dirrty degree_

_And if you want some more sexy_

_Still got that freak in me'_

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January 13, 2000

"I like your apartment."

Dana looked over at Mulder curiously. He was wandering around her living room, half empty wine glass in hand.

"You've been here many times, Mulder," she reminded.

"I know, I've just never told you."

She looked at him funny again. "Yes, you have. You said it just last week."

"Yeah, okay. But it's true. I like it here. It's… cozy."

"Cozy, Mr. Oxford?"

"What can I say? When I'm content my vocabulary is lax," he explained, settling down on her couch. He took a small sip of wine before setting it down for good on her coffee table. He looked over at her expectantly.

"What, Mulder?" she said rolling her eyes.

He patted the spot next to him, beckoning her to him. "Come join me. It's lonely."

She shook her head, smiling in spite of herself. "You are something else, Mulder."

"That's why you love me," he insisted but she didn't answer.

Truth was, she was nervous. Their relationship had been changing over the last few weeks, ever since New Year's Eve. They were growing close, closer than she had ever planned. There were times when it scared her and times she wanted to be so much closer.

"I have a question for you, Mulder," she spoke finally. "I've wanted to ask you this forever."

"Fire away."

"What would you name your first child?"

He looked at her amazed. "Now there's something I don't know."

"Oh, come on. Everyone's thought of it at one time or another." She settled next to him on the couch, sitting her normal distance away from him—extremely close, as she liked to call it.

He shook his head. "Nope, I can honestly say I've never thought about it."

"Never?"

He shook his head again. "Never. If anything, if at anytime I ever thought about being a father, my only thoughts were to be a better father than my dad was to me."

"Understandable. But you've never thought about it?"

"Well, I guess. If I had a son, I'd name him Elvis," he said in all seriousness.

Dana laughed. "Mulder, you can't be serious."

"I am."

"No woman would ever name her child that… anymore," she added at his look.

"That's where I turn on my famous Mulder charm."

"Yeah," she scoffed but she wasn't denying it. He definitely had charm and she was definitely a victim of it. He was certainly a bad influence on her… but in a really good way. In the next moment, she knew her life was about to change for the better.

She wasn't sure who initiated it or how it even started but she knew she never wanted to stop feeling it. Mulder, quite possibly, had the softest lips she'd ever felt. For a man with large hands, they were extremely soft and gentle. She loved the feel of them. And right now they were doing wonderful things to her.

She encouraged him when his lips moved down to her neck. He pressed his body to hers, slowly moving them both down to the couch. Her arms wrapped around him securely, her body relaxing to accommodate his heavy form. She moaned with pleasure when his teeth sank into a sensitive spot on her clavicle.

He made his way back to her lips when he felt her tug. Her lips tasted so sweet on his.

"Bedroom," she managed to get out between kisses. "I have something to show you."

"I like the sound of that," he said, his moan quickly becoming a groan when she pulled out from under him. He allowed her to lead him through her apartment to her bedroom. He couldn't explain the feeling of euphoria running through him. He felt numb but in a good way.

Suddenly, she stopped in front of him. He managed to stop himself before he ran into her, although that probably wouldn't have been a bad thing.

"You're gonna have to take off my shirt," she told him. He stood there frozen. "Or I can do it…"

That snapped him to attention. "No, no, no, I've got it. I can do it."

She smiled sweetly at him, remembering how lucky she was. He had her lie back on the bed, climbing on after her. He kissed her, forgetting all about what she wanted him to do. But she quickly reminded him.

"The shirt, Mulder."

"Why do I have a feeling there's actually something you want to show me?" he mumbled, bringing his lips to her neck.

"Because there is." She adjusted herself on the bed, moving so her head rested against her pillows. Mulder followed suit, his hands going to the hem of her sweater.

"I just want to kiss you," he said, looking into her eyes. She arched her brow. He relented. "Okay, well maybe just for now."

But he abided by her previous wishes. His hands were inching her sweater up slowly when he saw it. He quickly pushed the sweater up and removed it. He pushed her jeans down just barely so he could see it better.

Low on her right hip was a tattoo.

The main focus was the Eye of Horus in the center but it was the rest of it that caught his attention. The Eye of Horus was in the middle of a solar eclipse.

"It's beautiful," he told her, mesmerized.

"I got it because of you," she confessed.

"It's beautiful," he repeated, tracing the outline.

She smiled at his expression. "Would you like to hear about it?"

"It's beautiful."

"I got the total solar eclipse because it's a rare event. It represents us; it's not something that happens every day. And it'll blind you if you look at it because it's so strong, it can overwhelm you," she explained. He was silent so she continued.

"The Eye of Horus is an ancient Egyptian symbol of protection and power. The ancients believed this symbol of indestructibility would assist in rebirth."

Mulder finally found his voice. "Do you believe that?"

"I'm starting to. Ever since I met you, I'm rethinking everything about myself," she shared with him.

"Is that good or bad?"

"Extremely good," she smiled. She continued on with her story. "Early on, Horus became identified as a sky god, where one eye of his was the sun and the other the moon. His weaker eyes later became less important and he became more strongly aligned with the sun."

She took hold of his hand, pressing his fingers flat against her skin. She guided it to the left of the eye.

"The Eye has fractional value. This is one-half, represented by smell. And the pupil is one-fourth, obviously represented by sight or the sensation of light. The top line is one-eighth, represented by thought. The other side of the Eye is one-sixteenth, represented by hearing. This curled line is one thirty-seconds, represented by taste. And this extension here is one-sixty-fourths, represented by touch," she finished.

Mulder stayed on the last one. "If you ask me, this should be a lot longer."

"It's supposed to represent a leg touching the ground," she explained. "They all represent the six senses."

"I still say it should be longer." He kissed her tattoo gently. "When did you get it?"

"Not long after New Year's Eve. It's just starting to heal completely."

He kissed it again, lingering there. He made his way back up her body, kissing every inch of her on the way. That was when her world seemed to start spinning. Everything moved so quickly but she wasn't complaining. She knew two people had never been more passionate about one another.

Mulder pulled away before joining with her, startling her and worrying her at the same time.

"Wait, I have to know. Have you and Daniel…" he stopped, not wanting to say it. Luckily, she knew what he meant.

"No, his divorce isn't final yet. It'll look bad to his wife's lawyer, he says, but honestly that's just his excuse because I refuse to until marriage," she assured him, feeling slightly out of breath.

"But have you… had…" He couldn't finish that sentence either.

She smiled to assuage his worries. "Yes, there's no need to worry, Mulder. I know where everything goes."

She pulled his hips to hers and enjoyed his groan of pleasure as he sank into her.

"Now's not the time to joke."

"You started it." She kissed his chin, feeling their lower bodies move into a rhythm.

So this is what happiness feels like

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Mulder woke to an empty bed the next morning. The sheets were still disheveled and warm though so he knew Dana hadn't been up long. He smiled happily as he looked out the window, noticing immediately how bright and cheery everything looked. He wanted so badly to stay there, remembering last night, but he also wanted to find her and try his best to get an encore performance of last night.

He dressed quickly, pulling hi boxers and jeans on in record speed. He didn't bother to button up his shirt, letting it hang open instead.

He found her in the kitchen, her back to him. He knew she was making coffee, that's what woke him. He crept up behind her slowly. She jumped slightly when he wrapped his arms around her waist. He quickly felt her relax once she knew—remembered--who it was.

His lips found her neck. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." She relaxed further when his lips began to roam her collarbone. She moaned with pleasure, unable to resist his charms.

"You just startled me, that's all. Do you… do you… want any coffee?" she managed to get out, bracing herself against the counter. He followed, pressing her to the counter.

"I'd rather have you."

Her hands groped tightly for more counter and hurriedly agreed.

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She'd never felt more sated in her life. She'd never felt more alive. So why did she feel herself pulling away?

She gently extracted herself from Mulder's arms, careful not to wake him. She sat there and admired him for a moment. He looked so peaceful, so sweet. He had a small grin on his face, one she knew she put there. She smiled in spite of herself.

What had this man done to her?

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Mulder found her at the kitchen table reading the newspaper. He had again woken to an empty bed. He could already see her pulling away.

"I think I'd better take off," he announced, buttoning up his shirt. She looked surprised he'd said that. Was she not aware she was shutting him out?"

"Already? It's not even eight."

"This isn't about what time it is. I think you know what this is about."

"Apparently I don't. Care to share?"

He moved over to her, pulling her up to stand. He took a hold of her hands, staring deep into her eyes. "I want you to be the woman you were meant to be, the woman you are. I don't want to be with a façade, the mask you put on everyday. You're holding back; I can feel it," he explained.

She startled to crumble. "I don't mean to. I just can't help it."

He wiped away stray tears, his heart breaking. "I know. But when you find that woman again, I want you to call me 'cause I'm gonna want to meet her. I have a feeling I could fall in love with."

More tears started to fall. He wiped them all away. He began to lead them both to the door.

"I'll do that," she whispered. His lips touched to hers softly, not wanting to leave her without saying goodbye properly.

She was reluctant to move away, but eventually her sense caught up to her.

"Remember, call me," he reminded her one last time before leaving. As soon as he was out the door she wanted him back.

She wanted him.

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Continued in final chapter……


	7. Chapter 7

All disclaimers are in part one.

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'_Don't tell me to behave_

'_Cause I'll never play that game_

_Don't tell me what to do_

'_Cause I'll never be uptight like you_

_Don't look at me that way_

'_Cause I ain't never gonna change_

_And if you're talkin' 'bout my life_

_You're only wastin' your own time_

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January 15, 2000

It was the longest two days of his life. He hadn't spoken to her in two days. Not on the phone and not in person. He felt like he was going insane.

He'd done nothing but lay around his apartment watching old movies. He really wanted to be watching old movies with her. She loved making fun of them and he loved to watch her. She said she hated them but he knew she loved them. He missed the way she'd curl up next to him. He missed the way her body felt next to his.

Mulder let out a loud sigh, stretching his arms high above his head. He glanced over at his fish, their movements slow and graceful.

"Looks like it's just us tonight," he told them. Their mouths gapped open back at him. "Yeah, I know."

A knock at his door startled him. His eyes went to the clock on the VCR. 11:28 PM. Who would visit him this late?

"Who is it?" he called out, ready to reach for his gun.

"It's me."

Forgetting the gun, he hurried to open the door, praying his ears weren't playing tricks on him.

"Hi," Dana greeted him when he opened the door.

"Hi," Mulder said, stunned. Were his eyes playing tricks on him? He'd been thinking of her non-stop for the last two days. Was he losing his mind?

"Mind if I come in?" she asked, letting a small smile slip.

"Uh, no. not at all. Come in." She stepped inside, removing her coat. Her eyes never left his when she hung it up. Without moving her eyes, she grabbed his hands, pressing their bodies together.

"I did it," she said cryptically.

"Did what?"

She held up her hand, not letting go of him. "I broke it off. I'm a free woman."

His face lightened noticeably.

"And it's a good thing I met you. I wouldn't have been able to fend off his advances if not for you," she finished telling him.

"Advances? Did he touch you? If he touched you, I swear…"

She placed a hand over his heart. "Relax. It was verbal. He never touched me, well except for my hand."

"Are you sure? I can…"

"Mulder, I'm fine. He didn't touch me. He just couldn't accept that I wanted to leave him, so he grabbed my hand. I'm unharmed and I've never felt so happy."

He smiled at her smile. This was the Dana Scully he'd wanted to meet. She looked so much younger.

"And I have something to tell you."

He pulled her closer, their lips close to touching. "What?"

"I love you."

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NOW it's complete. Look for another one of my stories coming soon.


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